Guns, drugs and counterfeit cash seized after San Leandro shooting

By Natalie Neysa Alund Bay Area News Group

Posted:
08/28/2014 11:21:40 AM PDT

Updated:
08/28/2014 03:17:44 PM PDT

SAN LEANDRO -- Guns, nearly $20,000 worth of marijuana and more than $16,000 in counterfeit cash were seized by police following a drive-by shooting that wounded 27-year-old man last week, police said Thursday.

Police on Wednesday located and arrested the suspected shooter -- a 29-year-old Oakland man -- in connection to the Aug. 18 melee that took place at 9 p.m. off Grand Avenue near Interstate 580, Lt. Robert McManus said Thursday.

The 27-year-old victim, who does not live in the Bay Area, was also arrested in connection to the incident, McManus said.

On the night of the shooting, police responded to the area of MacArthur Boulevard and Durant Avenue in San Leandro for reports of gunshots. Officers checked the area but did not find evidence of a shooting, McManus said.

While searching the area, officers heard gunshots on Grand Avenue coming from the area of the I-580 Estudillo Avenue offramp.

Officers found a sedan that had crashed into a cement wall in front of a gas station. Police found a 27-year-old man near the car with a gunshot wound to his upper body that was not life-threatening, McManus said. The vehicle had also been hit by gunfire.

The man told police that he and the driver had been chased by suspects in another vehicle, saying they were shooting at them for an unknown reason. The driver apparently fled the scene.

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A search of the car found two semi-automatic handguns and a large sum of counterfeit U.S. currency inside, McManus said. The man, whose name was not released by police, citing an ongoing investigation, was treated at a hospital then arrested on suspicion of possession of a concealed firearms and on possession of counterfeit money.

Meanwhile, on the night of the shooting, a resident who saw the sedan being chased by another vehicle wrote down the license plate number of the shooter's vehicle and also gave a description of the car to police.

On Wednesday afternoon, detectives spotted the suspect's car driving on I-580, near the Estudillo Avenue exit, McManus said. They followed it to an apartment complex on the 3000 block of Pleitner Avenue in Oakland, where they saw a man matching the description of the shooting suspect get out and enter an apartment.

Shortly after, the man left the apartment and returned to the vehicle, where he was detained by police. Police are not releasing his name but said he is a 29-year-old Oakland resident.

A search of the man's apartment yielded two handguns, 6 pounds of marijuana and a large sum of counterfeit cash. The street value of the marijuana is about $20,000, McManus said.

The man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, possession of marijuana for sale and possession of counterfeit money.

Investigators say the two suspects knew each other and that the incident appears to be isolated. A motive for the shooting was not immediately known, but McManus said it's likely related to drug trafficking and counterfeit money.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at 510-577-3230. To leave an anonymous tip call 510-577-3278 or text "TipSLPolice" to 888777.